5 takeaways from the Republican-led hearing on ICE
At least some in the GOP want ICE to tone it down.
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For the first time since federal agents killed two Americans on the streets of Minneapolis, the officials overseeing President Donald Trump’s deportation campaign testified before Congress on Tuesday.
“The American people are angry,” said Rep. Tim Kennedy (D-New York), “and they’re demanding accountability and justice from those giving the orders.”
The immigration leaders were largely defiant.
“Let me send a message to anyone who thinks they can intimidate us,” said Todd M. Lyons, acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “You will fail.”
Lyons faced particular scrutiny given that ICE is unpopular with Americans, and immigration agencies are now facing bipartisan calls for reform.
Here are five takeaways from the hearing.
1. At least some Republicans want ICE to tone it down
At the start of the hearing, Homeland Security Committee chairman Andrew R. Garbarino (R-New York) appeared to criticize Homeland Security Secretary Kristi L. Noem for saying those killed by immigration agents were “domestic terrorists.”
“Officials and elected leaders should not rush to judgment,” he said. He also asked ICE and other agencies for details about how much it trains new hires as it works to quickly build up its force.
Other Republicans urged immigration officials to focus on deporting people with criminal records — “Deport gangs, not grandmas,” said Rep. Gabe Evans (R-Colorado) — and to let local police handle protesters.
“Your officers are not trained to effectively crowd-control,” Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) said.
McCaul also said he wanted immigration agents to be concentrated more at the border than in cities far away from it. “I believe these roving patrols should be done at the border rather than the major cities of the United States,” he said.
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